The attempt was to create a festive atmosphere at the Meadowlands. Players went up on the concourse before the game and greeted fans. Items were peddled off at discount prices. Employees smiled and shook hands and spoke of better times.

But underneath it all, there was all the joy of a wake. The final game of the Don Casey regime was about to unfold. Casey still had not been told officially what about 17 dozen members of the YankeeNets have revealed anonymously. Casey, though, spoke yesterday with principal owner Lewis Katz and was told they will meet early next week.

“All I know is that Lewis has said to me we’re going to sit down … after the holidays,” said Casey who claimed his talk with Katz was “very, very cordial and short” and did not enter specifics. “I didn’t want to go any further than that because there was no reason to. I think that in some way, shape or form, it will be next week for sure. There’ll be a resolution.

“I’m a realist,” Casey added, before his Nets sought to break a 10-game losing streak in the season’s final game, against Cleveland at the Meadowlands, using a roster that required them to activate Evan Eschmeyer and Sherman Douglas (neither could play) from the injury list just to have enough bodies in uniform. “I know there’s people that are obviously talking. But, in that respect, Lewis has been very consistent.”

The players know what’s coming. “C’mon, let’s be real. It’s obvious his job is in jeopardy. That is no secret,” claimed Stephon Marbury, who said he does not expect, nor does he necessarily want, any input in the decision.

When the season concluded last year, Casey was left dangling somewhat as the organization sought a better replacement. Casey thinks that will not happen this time. There will be firm and quick action.

“That won’t happen. Not only for me, but it doesn’t make business sense. The atmosphere has been created and declared,” said Casey. “The fact is my owner, Lewis, to me – of course there’s others – has kept his word. He told me he wasn’t going to make any changes under any circumstances during the year. I’m sure people have said to him ‘What the hell’s going on here? Aren’t they going to win any games?'”

There will be much change. Organization sources insist that general manager John Nash also will be booted out the door. Some say Michael Rowe, the team president, also is in line to be whacked while other contend he will be offered a different position, one that could dip into his business strengths and his ability to run facilities.

“Nothing’s changed and I don’t anticipate hearing anything,” said Nash. “Ownership has every right to evaluate management just as we evaluate players. I’m not opposed to that process. I have a job to do and I do it. Until somebody in a position of authority tells me that’s not the case, I’m just doing my job.”

Rowe shrugged off much of the turmoil of recent days but took a shot at those who have been issuing statements anonymously.

“The team has some blemishes but it has been through a lot of adversity,” Rowe said. “For it to be evaluated in the media as an organization in chaos or in the midst of upheaval by unnamed officials is not fair to the 80 people who work here and the 15 players who have broken bones and torn ligaments.”

As for the players, some, like Jamie Feick, insisted there was a job still to be done and that “[Casey] is no different than he always is.” Jayson Williams, again coming out in support of Casey, revealed he had been ordered to zip his lip but declined, noting, “Face it, I’m loyal to Case.”

And Marbury, who will be so much of the Net future, insisted that future will be bright.

“I see us as a totally different team. It’s not even going to be funny how much better we are going to be next year,” said Marbury, who sounded as if he thought the higher-ups should have stepped in sooner. “They watched this year go by and we’re not in the playoffs so I’m sure they would want Case to switch up his coaching style or they would get someone in here who would definitely lead us to the playoffs.”